For billions of people, mountain meltwater is essential for drinking water and sanitation, food and energy security, and the integrity of the environment. But today, as the world warms, glaciers are melting faster than ever, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. And because of glacial retreat, floods, droughts, …
KATHMANDU, 28 MAY: In a first of its kind initiative to clean Mount Everest, a joint army team of India and Nepal has collected over 4,000 kilogrammes of garbage that was polluting the slopes of the world's tallest peak. The joint Sagarmatha expedition team handed over 4,010 kg of garbage …
How do climate fluctuations affect DDT and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) distribution in the global scale? In this study, the interactions between climate variations and depositions of DDT and HCH in ice cores from Mt. Everest (the Tibetan Plateau), Mt. Muztagata (the eastern Pamirs) and the Rocky Mountains were investigated. All data …
ITANAGAR: Adding to the rare bouquet of rich biodiversity in the Himalayan state, researchers have discovered a new beautiful species of pink rhododendron flower from Arunachal Pradesh which was hitherto unknown to science. A team of botanical experts recently carried out explorations in West Siang district’s remote Mechukha valley, few …
Jaipur: The famed hill forts of Rajasthan are inching closer to get the World Heritage Site status. At the moment, seven forts-- Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Gagron, Ranthambore, Amber, Jalore and Bala Kila are on the UNESCO tentative list. “The UNESCO team was in Jaipur on Monday to discuss the nomination of …
Ladakh's high-altitude environment, which makes it so attractive to tourists, also leaves them prone to skin diseases, something local residents and temporary settlers have already been suffering from, a study has shown. The only dermatology department in the area, the one at the military hospital in Leh, conducted a year-long …
The unique ecological entity and topographical diversities are the exclusive characteristics of the hill and mountain regions in India. The distinctive socio-economic features, ethnicity, climatic variability and human activities, seprate the hill and mountain ecosystem from the rest.
The climate crisis is already changing the playing field for wildlife and urgent action is needed to preserve America’s conservation legacy, according to a new report released by the National Wildlife Federation. Wildlife in a Warming World: Confronting the Climate Crisis examines case studies from across the country illustrating how …
Climate is one of the main drivers of species distribution. However, as different environmental factors tend to co-vary, the effect of climate cannot be taken at face value, as it may be either inflated or obscured by other correlated factors. We used the favourability models of four species (Alytes dickhilleni, …
Flash floods on the edge of high terrain, such as the Himalayas or Rocky Mountains, are especially dangerous and hard to predict. The Leh flood of 2010 at the edge of the Himalayan Plateau in India is an example of the tragic consequences of such storms. The flood occurred over …
London: The peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro — world’s highest free-standing mountain — may be ice-free as soon as 2060, scientists have warned. Researchers with Nasa’s Earth Observatory, have found that between 1912 and 2011, the mass of ice on the summit of the 19,341ft dormant stratovolcano in Tanzania decreased by …
This study aims to enhance understanding of the dynamic relationship among biodiversity conservation and management, gender, and livelihoods in the greater Himalayan region. Based on a review of literature and field-based case studies on the ground, it provides important insights on the different ways in which women and men in …
A combination of climate change and booming tourism could cause famous mountain spots in Southwest China's Yunnan province to lose their snow, authorities and experts have warned. Rising temperatures in recent years have steadily pushed the snow line on Meili Snow Mountain in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to higher …
A rugged, tree-covered mountain range sweeps vertically into a brilliant blue sky. Out of a cave on its western side gushes a natural spring, its lacy, white water tripping 244 metres over a sheer black-and-red cliff face to fall into a blissful rock pool, before cascading further downhill. The site …
This study addresses the extrapolation of in-situ glacier mass balance measurements to the mountain-range scale and aims at deriving time series of area-averaged mass balance and ice volume change for all glaciers in the European Alps for the period 1900–2100. Long-term mass balance series for 50 Swiss glaciers based on …
The main objective of this study was to identify and prioritize subbasins/watersheds in the Middle and High Mountains of Nepal that are significantly vulnerable to Climate Change (CC). The approach of the vulnerability assessment framework of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was the guide for this …
Using information on current species distributions and dispersal traits, this study forecasts climate-driven range dynamics of plant species across the European Alps. Simulations predict moderate range contractions over the twenty-first century; however, more severe effects of climate warming on mountain plant diversity are expected in the longer term.
As a part of the Mountain Initiative, Nepal's Ministry of Environment organized a two-day `International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change' in Kathmandu from 5-6 April 2012. The main objective of the conference was to bring all mountain countries together to make their collective voice stronger at international platforms. …
This is the country report for the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change. The draft national report dealt with the overall socio-economic and environmental situation in Nepal and highlighted issues related to climate change and its overall impact. Besides focusing on the national issues concerning the mountain environment, …
This publication addresses climate change and disaster management issues in South Asia, and more particularly in India. It builds on the theme chosen by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) for the world environment day, "Safeguard the environment for disaster risk reduction," which reflects the pressing need for arresting …
The Uttarakhand Janmanch will launch the Parvat Garjana Andolan from Srinagar on July 8 to protest against the Central Govern-ment’s decision to stop work on the Srinagar, Peepalkoti, Loharinag Pala hydro-power projects in the mountain State. The protest will be attended by Padma Shree recipients Leeladhar Jaguri, Rural Litigation and …
